Senate gives final passage to changes in Hathaway curriculum

Cheyenne, Wy – The Wyoming Senate on Friday gave its final approval to a bill that would tweak the curricular requirements for the Hathaway Scholarship Program. Under the new rules, students would need to take two years of a foreign language and two years of fine and performing art or vocational education classes in order to qualify for the highest level of Hathaway funding. Senators agreed that students from smaller schools can opt out of some of these requirements if their schools cannot make certain courses available. They also approved an amendment that will allow the state to track these waivers to watch for patterns over time. Riverton Republican Eli Beboutworried that the new curriculum requirements might limit students' ability to take more math or science classes, but Cody Republican Hank Coe believes the new requirements will both encourage rigor in schools and provide students with more options. "I think it gives a flexibility to students that really do like the arts, or students that really are intended for career tech. It just provides the flexibility that the people of the state want. They want that flexibility in the Success Curriculum and I think it provides that." The bill passed the Senate 29 to 1, and will go back to the House for approval before heading to Gov. Matt Mead's desk for his signature.